Pilates is an exercise method introduced by Joseph Pilates in the 1930's to develop the body uniformly through a series of precise movements that control the body through space and stabilize it while it is working. The method was originally developed it to help strengthen and rehabilitate immobilized soldiers during World War 1. Pilates focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of neutral alignment of the spine and strengthening the deep postural muscles that support this alignment, which are important to help alleviate and prevent back pain.
Pilates focuses on developing core muscle groups with controlled and concentrated movement. The body movements are combined with breathing awareness, and elements of yoga and other stretching may accompany variations of pilates. Pilates is designed to improve strength, flexibility, balance, control and muscular symmetry. The rhythmic exercises are well suited for promoting elongated and toned muscles, and are noted for developing abdomen, lower back and buttocks strength, promoting a strong body core.
A critical aspect of proper pilates exercises is correct posture, and in particular overcoming the body's natural tendency to experience pronation and supination. Pronation is the flattening out of the foot's arch when the foot bears weight. There is a natural tendency for a foot to pronate to absorb shock when the heel hits the ground, and to assist in balance during mid-stance. This results in the ankle leaning towards the inside of the foot. Even moderate pronation can be problematic, however, because the shifting of the body's weight causes increased stress on the inside or medial aspect of the foot. It pulls on the stabilizing muscles in the lower leg (posterior tibialis) and often causes the knee to shift to the inside. In extreme cases the excessive stress on the body can overcompensate for pronation and shift the ankle towards the outside causing the ankle to roll over.
Supination is the opposite effect of pronation. A foot is in supination when the ankle rotates so that weight is borne on the outside of the foot. The foot naturally supinates to take pressure off the inside of the foot, where the outside of the foot tends to be more comfortably able to provide leverage and support the body weight. However, excessive supination predisposes the ankle to injury because the stabilizing muscles on the outside of the lower leg (peroneals) are in a stretched position. It does in not take much force to cause the ankle to roll over, potentially causing ligament damage.
To eliminate pronation and supination during pilates exercises, an instructor literally must apply his or her hands to the participant to provide a tactile response that can be felt by the participant, and thereby adjust the position of the body and the feet to a proper posture position. Correct posture is a critical aspect of a pilates exercise program, but achieving and maintaining proper posture without pronation or supination is difficult without an instructor's assistance, since the participant may be incapable of self-correcting incorrect posture or even recognizing when an incorrect posture is achieved. This problem would be exacerbated in beginners or those unaware of the primary importance of proper posture. Accordingly, the prior art lacks any means of achieving the correct posture using footwear that functions in the same manner as an instructor to provide a tactile response to incorrect posture and enable self-correction of improper posture.